On World AIDS Day, a city that has been among the top ten for new cases of HIV infections vowed to reduce the rate.

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Baltimore City health officials and the state have partnered together to get more people tested, just one step in an ambitious plan to reduce HIV infections by 2015. This new strategy includes a focus on educating local and state residents about the disease, said 11 News education reporter Tim Tooten.

At the University of Maryland, Baltimore students led by example as they were tested for the virus by trained school of medicine and nursing students. The school also opened up its doors to the public.

Brandon Keith found the process to be student friendly: "This one was free. It was very accessible so I encourage everybody in the community to get tested. It's very important," he said.

Looking into the future, nursing student Allison Haskel said, "We need to start to normalize HIV testing to be like any other kind of health screening that everyone does yearly. Not just for people who may be at risk, but for everyone."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland has the fourth highest rate of what it calls HIV prevalence in the U.S. In 2009, the state had 19.9 cases per 100,000 people, 21 percent of which may not even know it, which concerns health officials, Tooten said.

"That is the point," said UMD Baltimore student Jamie Mignano. "We are trying to identify people earlier. The earlier you diagnose someone with HIV, the earlier you get them into treatment. Not only can they have the opportunity for a longer healthier life but the chances of transmitting HIV is much much lower," Mignano said.

At Coppin State University, school officials also made its student body and community aware of World AIDS Day. Marcella Copes was part of the effort. "We will also be having a health fair where individuals can come down for free testing, free health care information, as well as counseling about how AIDS is affecting our community, especially Baltimore City and Maryland," Copes said.

More than 1,000 people showed up at Coppin to form one of the largest living red ribbons. The group had tried to set a world record. A number of other local AIDS activities were planned throughout the city.

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